Stamp-rack



W. H. NIEMEYER.

STAMP RACK.

APPLICATION HLED FEB.16.1917.

Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

- A TTORNEYS- I 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR' A TTORNEYS W. H NIEMEYER.

STAMP RACK. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 1917.

Patented Dec. 7,1920.

W. H, NIEMEYER.

STAMP RACK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I6, I917. 1,361,535. I

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

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I INVENTOR #74, A

BY rm 1 A TTORNEYS Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

WILLIAM H. NIEMEYER, F BALTIMORE COUNTY, MARYLAND.

STAMP-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. '7, 1920.

Application filed February 16, 1917. Serial No. 149,126.

the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to stamp racks.

One object of my invention is to provide a rack capable of supporting a plurality of stamps and combined with a hand-operated stopping mechanism and a visual index so that any one of said plurality of stamps can be readily selected for use. 7

Another object of my invention is to provide a case for said rack so that the rack can be completely closed when not in use to prevent the accumulation of dust upon the stamps and co-acting mechanism.

Another object of my invention is to provide a plurality of stamp pads and a table adjacent thereto for supporting the paper or other articles to be stamped.

These and further objects of my invention are fully described and explained in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of my improved stamp rack, the sliding door being raised so as to expose the stamps.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, part of the casing being broken away to show the means for supporting and guiding the stamps, the stamp being in the position in which it is to be placed when not in use.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the stamp. inking pad, and the mechanism for supporting and guiding the stamp, the

stamp being in the position into which it is tobe moved when it is to be applied to the inking pad.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but with the stamp in the position into which it is to be moved when it'is to be applied to the paper or other article to be stamped. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan v1ew of the stamp and supporting mechanlsm when the stamp is in the position shown in F1g. 2,

looking in the direction of the arrow 5 in said figure, the handle at the top of the stamp being omitted for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the hand-operated stopping mechanism when viewed in the direction of the.a'rrow.6 in Fig. 2.

Fig. .7 is an inverted plan view of the bracket for supporting the stamp.

Fig. 8 isa vertical section through the upper end of the stamp bracket.

Fig. 9 is a section of the stamp fork 50 along the lines 9-9 of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 10 is a detail of the stopping mechanism hereinafter referred to, and

Fig. 11 is a detail portion of the stopping mechanism hereinafter referred to, when viewed in the direction of the arrow 11 in Fig. 6, said View being partly in section.

15 represents a casing which is formed of a bottom 16, sides 17 and 18, a front 19, a back 20, and a top 21; these parts may be formed of wood, metal or any suitable composition and joined together in any approved way.

Near the center of the sides 17 and 18, two bearing studs 22 and 23 are secured by means of screws such as 2 4:. These bearing studs are provided with inwardly directed cylindrical portions 25-25, upon which are revolubly mounted the spiders 26-26.

The spiders 2626 are each provided with a plurality of arms such as 27, and the arms terminate in spreaders such as 28, the outer surface of the spreaders 28 being approximately cylindrical in form,- and adapted to fit snugly in the cylindrical interior surfaces, such as 29, ofthe flanges 30 and 31.

The spreaders 28 are secured to the flanges 30 and 31 by screws such as 32.

Between the flanges 30 and 31, any suitable number of shelves such as 33 are secured in place by screws such as 34:.

The broad sides of the shelves 33-83, etc, are mounted substantially parallel to planes passing through the axes of the studs 25-25, and at a suitable distance therefrom so that the axes of the screws such as 43 which support the stamps, as hereinafter described, shall be within said planes.

The shelves 3333 are made of any suitable length to support any desired number of stamps and are made of a breadth to suit the size of stamps.

, In the drawings but one shelf is shown equipped as with three stamps, but it is to be understood that all the shelves are to be equipped with stamps, and that there may be less than three stamps or more than three stamps placed upon a shelf as desired. Each shelf 33 is provided with a slot 35 near the inner edge thereof, and extending nearly from end to end of said shelf.

Slidably mounted in the slot 35 is the lower guide portion 36 of the stamp bracket 37.

Cast integrally with the stamp bracket 37 is a screw 38, which extends downwardly and upon which there is mounted the washer 39 which bears against the under side of the shelf 33. A wing nut such as 40 screwed upon the screw 38 serves to retain the bracket 37 into any position into which it ma be moved along the slot 35.

he bracket 37 is provided with two upwardly and forwardly extending ears Springs such as 42-42 are secured to the ears 41-41 by screws such as 43-43. Depressions such as 44-44 are provided in the ears 41-41 to keep the springs 42-42 in place. The screws 43-43 are formed with cylindrical ends 45-45 upon which is revolubly mounted the sleeve 46 provided with the hole 47.

A rod 48 provided with the head 49 is slidably mounted in the hole 47, and a stamp fork 50 is rigidly screwed upon the forward end of the rod 48. The ends of the stamp fork 50 are provided with holes in which is riveted the pin 51 and the stem 52 of the stamp 53 is providedwith a hole for the reception of the pin 51, and thus the stem 52 is revolubly mounted upon the pin 51 be tween the ears of the stamp fork 50. Each stamp stem 52 is provided with an enlarged portion 54 for the application of the hand thereto.

Each stamp fork 50 is provided with de pressions 55-55 having ribs 56-56 at the top and bottom thereof for a purpose here inafter explained.

Brackets 57-57 are secured to the front 19 of the case and a table such as 58 is secured upon the brackets 57. The table 58 is provided with any suitable number of inking pads 59 which may be inked with the same or different color inks.

In order to provide access to the stamps, the following instrumentalities are provided the cover 62 may be counterbalanced by a wveight, or spring, or it may be made of sufliciently tight fit within the guides 60 to retain it in the open position as shown in Fig. 1. The cover 62 is provided with a forwardly extending box-shaped portion 63 of such a shape and size that when the cover is in its lowest position, it will cover the ink pad as shown dotted in Fig. 2. The

box-shaped portion 63 is provided with two 1 finger grips 64-64. An index is provided on the front of the cover 62, which consists of a plurality of horizontal lines, one line corresponding to each of the shelves such as 38, and said horizontal lines are divided by vertical lines into a plurality of vertical sections, each section corresponding to one circumferential group of stamps. The horizontal lines are indicated by the literals, A, B, C, D, etc., and the vertical sections by the numerals 1, 2, 3, etc. Thus it is evident there are to be as many horizontal lines as there are shelves 33 and as many vertical sections as the largest number of stamps upon any shelf. The manner of use of the index will be hereinafter explained.

The means by which I provide for the bringing of any desired stamp into the stamping position will now be explained. A bracket 65 is secured by screws 66 to the dependent end 67 of the table 58. The bracket 65 is provided with a horizontal portion 68 provided with a plurality of depressions 69, there being one depression 69 for each of the shelves 33. The inner end of the bracket 65 is provided with a hole 70 in which is slidably mounted the rod 71. The depressions 69 are designated by the literals A, B, C, D, etc., placed adjacent thereto.

An arm 72 formed integrally with the collar 7 3'and provided with. the ball handle 74 is revolubly'mounted upon the front end of the rod 71, and a screw 75 threaded in the collar 73 is provided with a cylindrical portion 76 which fits loosely in the groove 77 formed in the forward end'of the'rod '71.

The rear end of the rod 71 is formed with the collar portion 7 8 and said collar portion is slidably mounted in the interior of the guide 79, the latter being secured to the side 18 by screws such as 80. The guide 79 is provided with a slot 81 through which passes the screw 82, said screw being threaded in the collar portion 78. A cylindrical inward extension 83 is formed integrally with the collar portion 78, and the portion 83 slides freely in the slot 84 provided in the. slide 18.

A hole is provided in the portion 83 and in 7 said. hole there is slidably mounted the stopping pin 85, the outer end of which is pro vided' with a head 86 against which bears the spring 87 The spring 87 is kept in place by the screw 82. The inner end of the stopping pin 85 is arranged to enter the slot 88,

as hereinafter explained, of the stopping 7 piece 89. a

There-is one stopping piece 89 for each of the shelves 33 and each stopping piece is securedupon the flange 31 by means of a screw such as 90, (see 6). 1

It will be noted by an inspection of Fig.

2 tl1at the stopping'pieces '89 are at differentdistances from theaixes of the bearing stud 23 and that theslots' 88 in the stopping pieces 89 are substantially parallel to the broad sides of the shelves 33, 33, etc.

Thus the stopping piece 89 in which the.

end of the pin 85 is resting, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, is at the maximum distance from the axes of the bearing stud 23, and that the next stud 89 in a clockwise direction therefrom, is somewhat closer to the axes of said stud, and the other stopping pieces 89 are each successively closer to said axes than the preceding one. The purpose of this construction will be explained in the explanatiOI]; of the operation of my improved stamp rac The manner of use and operation of my improved stamp rack will now be explained:

As before stated, each of the literals, A, B, G, D, E, F, etc., at the left and right of the index, (see Fig. 1), designate one of the shelves 33. The shelf designated by A is the one shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as supporting the stamps 53. This is the shelf that corresponds to the stopping piece 89 that is at the greatest distance from the axes of the bearing stud 23, and when the end of the pin 85 is in the slot 89 of said stud, the arm 72, (see Fig. 10), will be resting in the first depressions 69 of the bracket 65.

It is evident that when the end of the pin 85 is in the slot 88 that the shelves 33 can not be moved.

The operator will thus know that shelf A is locked in position and that either of the three stamps indexed under the numerals 1, 2 and 3, and on the same horizontal line with the literal A can be used. It is thus an easy matter to see to which stamp the hand is to be applied.

The operator then applies his hand to the enlarged portion 54 of the stamp stem 52 and pulls the stamp directly toward him. It is to be understood that the operator is standing with his face toward the index shown in Fig. 1.

WVhen the operator pulls the stamp stem directly toward him, the ends of the springs 42-42 move outwardly from the depressions 5555 in the fork 50, and the operator pulls the stamp toward him until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 3, just above the inking pad 59. He then presses the stamp upon the inking pad 59 and continues the movement of the stamp 53 toward him until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 4 just above the paper or other article 91 that is to be stamped. He then presses the stamp 53 downwardly to produce the impression.

The stamp 53 is then to be moved inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, and during this inward movement, the ribs 56-56 of the fork 50 will embrace the ends of the springs 424t2 and thus support the lower surface of the stamp 53, out of contact with the upper surface of the shelf and the ends of the springs 42, entering the depressions 55 of the fork 50, will prevent the stamp 53 from moving outwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 during the motion of revolution A about the bearin studs 22 and 23 that is given to the shelves 33 as hereinafter described.

If the operator next desires a stamp that is on any other shelf than the shelf A, he applies his hand to the ball 74 and lifts the same until the arm 72 clears the depression 69 corresponding to the shelf A. He then moves the ball 74 away from him until the lever is just above the depressions marked D in Fig. 6, if the stamp that he desires to use is shown by the index to be mounted on shelf D.

It is evident that when the arm 7 2 is moved from the depression A to the depres sion D that the end of the pin 85 will move freely along the slot 88 in the stopping piece 89.

He then allows the arm 72 to drop into the depression D. He then applies his hand to either of the flanges 3O or31 and moves said flange in either direc ion until it stops. During the motion of said flanges, any excessive speed of same is prevented by the friction produced by the spring 92 which bears against the flange 31.

The flange 31 and consequently the shelves 33 and the other flange 30 which form a unitary structure are stopped when the stopping piece 89 which corresponds to the shelf D strikes the end of the pin 85. I

When the stopping piece 89 strikes the pin 85, the incline 93 is the first part that comes in contact with the end of said pin, I

and said incline moves the pin 85 outwardly, against the tension of the spring 87 until the slot 88 comes opposite the end of the pin 85 and then the pin moves into said slot, thus locking the shelf D in position for the stamps thereon to be used.

It is to be noted that by reason of the different distances of the stopping pieces 89 from the axes of the bearing studs 22 and 23, that only the stopping piece 89 which corresponds to the position to which the arm 72, and consequently the pin 85, has been moved, becomes effective in stopping the flanges 30 and 31 and the shelves 33. All the other stopping pieces 89 pass by the pin 85 without coming in contact therewith.

I claim 1. In a stamp rack, the combination with a casing, of bearing studs thereon, flanges revolving on said studs, shelves supported by said flanges, stopping pieces mounted on the flat surface of one of said flanges at different distances from the axis of said studs, 21. stopping pin mounted on said casing to slide parallel to said surface and means for securing said pin in a plurality or". positions. Y

In a stamp rack, the combination with hearing studs, oi a plurality of shelves revolubly mounted thereon, a plurality of stamp brackets mounted on each shelf, a rod slidably mounted in each bracket and a stamp attached to each rod. 7

3. In a stamp rack, the combination with a casing, of shelves supported thereby, a table supported by said casing, inking pads mounted on said table, a movable cover for said shelves mounted on said casing and a boX like portion for covering said pads mounted on said cover.

4. In a stamp rack, the combination with a stamp bracket, of a sleeve trunnioned thereon, a rod slidably mounted in said sleeve, a fork mounted on said rod, depressions in said fork, and springs mounted on said bracket and having free ends bent to fit said depressions, whereby said rod is yieldably held from longitudinal movement.

In a stamp rack, the combination with a stamp bracket, of a sleeve trunnioned thereon, a rod slidably mounted in said sleeve, a fork mounted on said rod, ribs on said fork, and springs mounted on said bracket and having free ends to pass between said. ribs, whereby said rod is held from transverse movement.

casing, bearing studs mounted thereon,

flanges revolubly mounted on said studs, a plurality otshelves secured to sa1d flanges, a stepping piece for each shelf mounted on the flat surface of one of said flanges, said' stopping pieces being at different distances from the axes of said studs, a stop-ping pin mounted on said casing to slide parallel to said surface and means for shifting said pin to alinement with each stopping piece.

8. In a stamp rack, the combination with stopping pieces provided with slots and inclines ad acent said slots, ot a spring pressed stopping pin adapted to strike said inclines and enter said slots, means for slidably supporting said stopping pin,.a rod for moving said pin, a bracket provided with a depression for each stopping piece, and an arm revolubly mounted on the end of said rod and adapted to drop in each depression whereby said stopping pin can be secured in position in line with one of said stopping pieces.

In. testimony whereof, I ai'fix my signature.

IVILLIAM I-I. NIEMEYER. 

